It has been a while since I last produced a series of works simultaneously as opposed to consecutively. That is, I have worked on them all at once, bringing each painting to completion at the same time. There is therefore something that binds these works together, they are all the product of the same period in time, the same process and have similar themes.

The bright light of summer helped me to bring these images into the world, as I have spent even the hottest of days bent over my easel in a fit of passion. And now with the autumn, exhausted, my harvest is almost ready. In my work I see a warm glow and a luminosity that I have not seen before. Perhaps the summer is still shining through.

As I mature as an artist, I am finding that I can rely on my imagination more and therefore less on photographic reference or studies. This truly frees me up to paint what ever comes into my head. The majority of my new work has been made this way. Which is sometimes much harder, more struggle and more time consuming. But I feel it allows the light of imagination to add its poetry and more magic to shine through.

The themes of these works reflect this inward gaze too. With titles such as “The Sixth Sense”, “The Vision” and “Bewitching the Sphinx”, I have focused more on the inner worlds this time; the visionary trance, second sight and mystical revelation. My fascination for history and mythology is still present here too, as much of these works owe their imagery and symbolism to both.

Jake